Rare Collection (#10)

25th Anniversary of ascension as Sultan of Abdul Hamid II
Postcard commemorating the 25th anniversary of the ascension to the throne of Sultan Abdul Hamid II (18421918), the 34th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, who became ruler in 1876

Amasya, Turkey - The Grand Citadel
An extremely rare postcard showing Amasya, Turkey. Mountainous city on the Black Sea coast famous for apples and produced Kings, Princes, scientists

Clavicytherium (Upright Spinet)
Clavicytherium - A fine specimen of a rare keyboard instrument - probably the oldest in existence from the early 16th century

View of Paris, 17th century Dutch School
View of Paris from the Pont Neuf, 17th century Dutch School. The famous Tour de Nesle can be seen on the left, and the old Louvre and Galerie on the right

Succulent plants, rare evergreens, orange trees. Illustration by Thomas Fairchild, from Patrick Blair, Botanic essays. Date: 1720

Illustration of rare fruits and seed
Illustration by Georg Ehret of rare fruits and seeds

Athene blewitti, forest owlet
Donated to the Museum in 1954 by Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen, it was discovered that he had in fact stolen the specimen from the Museum and changed its label

Black opal
131-carat black opal found in the Lightning Ridge area of New South Wales, Australia

Philautus maia, shrub frog

Padparadscha is one of the most unusual varieties of the mineral corundum

Hortus Sanitatis, Jacob Meidenbach, 1497 edition
Hortus Sanitatis title page

Oceanites maorianus, New Zealand strom petrel
This skin is one of only three in the world that can prove the New Zealand storm petrel is a living species

Sesbania coccinea
Finished watercolour by Sydney Parkinson made during Captain James Cooks first voyage across the Pacific, 1768-1771. Illustration annotated Aeschinomene speciosa

The Bernard Sunley Room
Housing large books in the Natural History Museums Department of Botany

Sarcophilus laniarius, Tasmanian devil
Jaw of a Tasmanian devil from the collections at the Natural History Museum

Variscite
A rare, bluish green, mineral, found in aluminum-rich rocks. Variscite comprises of (hydrated aluminum phosphate)

The Rare Book Room at the Natural History Museum, London
Part of the Museums General Library which houses many original natural history drawings and paintings as well as books and manuscripts

Photographed for the Royal Mails Rare and Engangered specie
To be added

Realgar comprises of (arsenic sulphide). It is also known as ruby sulphur and is a rare non-metallic sulphide mineral. Specimen from the Natural History Museum, London

Pseudocrinites magnificus, cystoid
This specimen is a rare fossil Cystoid. They belonged to the echinoderms and diversified greatly in the Silurian, but became extinct by the Permian

Zincite comprises of (zinc oxide). It is an important ore of zinc, and almost exclusive to one mining locality in New Jersey, U.S.A. Specimen from the Natural History Museum, London

Cancrinite comprises of (sodium calcium aluminum silicate carbonate) and is one of the rarer members of the feldspathoid group. Specimen from the Natural History Museum, London

Olivenite comprises of (copper arsenate hydroxide). It is a rare copper mineral normally deep olive green in coluor. Specimen from Wheal Jewel, Gwennap, Cornwall

Lazulite comprises of (magnesium iron aluminum phosphate hydroxide) not to be confused with lazurite - as it looks and sounds the same is a rare ornamental and gemstone

Anorthosite breccia, moon rock
Specimen of anorthosite breccia or moon rock collected on the Apollo 16 mission in April 1972, and mounted in an acrylic block for protection and display

Tellurium (Te) is a rare elemental metal, but is mostly used in alloys with other metals. Specimen from the Natural History Museum, London

Bidessus minutissimus, diving water beetle
A rare diving beetle (Bidessus minutissimus) specimen. Diving beetles are aquatic and inhabit pond and stream environments

Orange sapphire
A rare Sri-Lankan hexagonal cut orange sapphire. Sapphires belong to the corundum group - the second hardest mineral group known

Charoite
Vase and rough specimen with a polished face of purple charoite, black aegerine augite, grey microcline and orange tinaksite from Yakutusk, Russia - the only location where this mineral occurs

Sir Richard Bulstrode
SIR RICHARD BULSTRODE Jacobite, diplomat, who lived over 100 years - a rare feat in those days ! Date: 1610 - 1711

Sells Brothers enormous united shows - Rare zoological marvels... Poster showing animals on exhibit in a tent, including giraffes, elephants, tigers, and hippopotami. Date ca. 1895

A rare specimen found on hill above Fort Riley, Kansas, 420 miles west of St. Louis, Mo. Photo shows a portable darkroom in the wagon, with photographer Alexander Gardner seated in middle of image

Audresselle, France - Train Renard - A Road Train
Fantastic (and very rare) postcard depicting a road train devised by Charles Renard (also an airship pioneer) in 1903, which ran through the rural French villages of Wimereux

Ambletuse, France - Train Renard - A Road Train

Lincoln / Jews House
The Jews House, a rare example of domestic Norman architecture, and a reminder of the Jewish community that flourished in Medieval Lincoln Date: 12th century

England / Quainton
At Quainton, Buckinghamshire, England, is this fine example of a cobbled pavement, extremely rare, in these days of asphalt and concrete. Date: 1950s

Her Majestys Gracious Smile
A rare photograph of a smiling Queen Victoria taken in 1898 at the age of 79 during her Jubilee celebrations. Date: 15th February 1898

Tapirape Warriors
Tapirape warriors of Brazil, South America, at the annual ceremonial dances. The magician in the foreground is wearing a very rare crown of Black Jaguar claws. Date: 1930s

Ripley Weeping Cross
The very rare medieval Weeping Cross in the churchyard at Ripley, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. The four pair of niches round the base are for kneeling penitents! Date: 1950s

Large Trout Catch
A record catch. Such large fish (1 ft. 7 inches and 41 pounds in weight) are rare. The normal weight of a grown trout is 1 pound. The big red skin spots are typical. Date: 1930s

SHAP ABBEY
Shap Abbey, Cumbria, England, is a rare Premonstratensian house, in a rather bleak setting. Its most distinctive surviving feature is its huge West Tower. Date: founded circa 1200

Furry Friends
The rare sight of a dog and rabbit sitting on a garden chair together! Date: 1930s

Notornis
Rare flightless New Zealand bird, the notornis. The Illustrated London News notes that, the Notornis was first discovered in fossil form before it was ever seen alive

Jews House, Lincoln
The Jews House, a rare example of domestic Norman architecture, and a reminder of the Jewish community that flourished in medieval Lincoln Date: 12th century

Thomas A. Edison memorial bridge, and Thomas Edison
F4- Thomas A. Edison memorial bridge, Ft. Myers, Fla. Thomas A. Edison called Ft. Myers his adopted home from 1885 when he first came here, until 1931, the year of his death

Australian cabinet photograph - young woman
A rare cabinet photograph from Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia depicting a young lady in fine dress in a studio setting

Amasya, Turkey - Bridge over the River Yesilirmak
An extremely rare postcard showing Amasya, Turkey. Mountainous city on the Black Sea coast famous for apples and produced Kings, Princes, scientists

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